11718 Federal Register / Vol. 89, No. 32 / Thursday, February 15, 2024 / Rules and Regulations 

Issued on January 26, 2024. 

Michael Linegang, 

Acting Director, Compliance & Airworthiness 

Division, Aircraft Certification Service. 

[FR Doc. 2024–03082 Filed 2–14–24; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4910–13–P 

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION 

Federal Aviation Administration 

14 CFR Part 39 

[Docket No. FAA–2024–0039; Project 

Identifier MCAI–2023–00966–R; Amendment 

39–22665; AD 2024–02–01] 

RIN 2120–AA64 

Airworthiness Directives; Airbus 

Helicopters 

AGENCY: Federal Aviation 

Administration (FAA), DOT. 

ACTION: Final rule; request for 

comments. 

SUMMARY: The FAA is adopting a new 

airworthiness directive (AD) for certain 

Airbus Helicopters Model EC225LP 

helicopters. This AD was prompted by 

a report of incorrect door opening 

instructions on the placards located on 

the right hand (RH) side of the VIP flap 

door. This AD requires installing a 

placard specifying jettisoning 

instructions, as specified in a European 

Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) 

AD, which is incorporated by reference. 

The FAA is issuing this AD to address 

the unsafe condition on these products. 

DATES: This AD is effective March 1, 

2024. 

The Director of the Federal Register 

approved the incorporation by reference 

of a certain publication listed in this AD 

as of March 1, 2024. 

The FAA must receive comments on 

this AD by April 1, 2024. 

ADDRESSES: You may send comments, 

using the procedures found in 14 CFR 

11.43 and 11.45, by any of the following 

methods: 

• Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to 

regulations.gov. Follow the instructions 

for submitting comments. 

• Fax: (202) 493–2251. 

• Mail: U.S. Department of 

Transportation, Docket Operations, M– 

30, West Building Ground Floor, Room 

W12–140, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE, 

Washington, DC 20590. 

• Hand Delivery: Deliver to Mail 

address above between 9 a.m. and 5 

p.m., Monday through Friday, except 

Federal holidays. 

AD Docket: You may examine the AD 

docket at regulations.gov under Docket 

No. FAA–2024–0039; or in person at 

Docket Operations between 9 a.m. and 

5 p.m., Monday through Friday, except 

Federal holidays. The AD docket 

contains this final rule, the EASA AD, 

any comments received, and other 

information. The street address for 

Docket Operations is listed above. 

Material Incorporated by Reference: 

• For EASA material incorporated by 

reference in this final rule, contact 

EASA, Konrad-Adenauer-Ufer 3, 50668 

Cologne, Germany; telephone +49 221 

8999 000; email ADs@easa.europa.eu. 

You may find this material on the EASA 

website at https://ad.easa.europa.eu. 

• You may view this material at the 

FAA, Office of the Regional Counsel, 

Southwest Region, 10101 Hillwood 

Pkwy., Room 6N–321, Fort Worth, TX 

76177. For information on the 

availability of this material at the FAA, 

call (817) 222–5110. The EASA material 

is also available at regulations.gov under 

Docket No. FAA–2024–0039. 

Other Related Service Information: 

For Airbus Helicopters service 

information identified in this final rule, 

contact Airbus Helicopters, 2701 North 

Forum Drive, Grand Prairie, TX 75052; 

telephone (972) 641–0000 or (800) 232– 

0323; fax (972) 641–3775; or at 

airbus.com/en/products-services/ 

helicopters/hcare-services/airbusworld. 

You may also view this service 

information at the FAA contact 

information under Material 

Incorporated by Reference above. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

William McCully, Aviation Safety 

Engineer, FAA, International Validation 

Branch, FAA, 1600 Stewart Ave., Suite 

410, Westbury, NY 11590; phone (404) 

474–5548; email william.mccully@

faa.gov. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Comments Invited 

The FAA invites you to send any 

written data, views, or arguments about 

this final rule. Send your comments to 

an address listed under ADDRESSES. 

Include ‘‘Docket No. FAA–2024–0039; 

Project Identifier MCAI–2023–00966–R’’ 

at the beginning of your comments. The 

most helpful comments reference a 

specific portion of the final rule, explain 

the reason for any recommended 

change, and include supporting data. 

The FAA will consider all comments 

received by the closing date and may 

amend this final rule because of those 

comments. 

Except for Confidential Business 

Information (CBI) as described in the 

following paragraph, and other 

information as described in 14 CFR 

11.35, the FAA will post all comments 

received, without change, to 

regulations.gov, including any personal 

information you provide. The agency 

will also post a report summarizing each 

substantive verbal contact received 

about this final rule. 

Confidential Business Information 

CBI is commercial or financial 

information that is both customarily and 

actually treated as private by its owner. 

Under the Freedom of Information Act 

(FOIA) (5 U.S.C. 552), CBI is exempt 

from public disclosure. If your 

comments responsive to this AD contain 

commercial or financial information 

that is customarily treated as private, 

that you actually treat as private, and 

that is relevant or responsive to this AD, 

it is important that you clearly designate 

the submitted comments as CBI. Please 

mark each page of your submission 

containing CBI as ‘‘PROPIN.’’ The FAA 

will treat such marked submissions as 

confidential under the FOIA, and they 

will not be placed in the public docket 

of this AD. Submissions containing CBI 

should be sent to William McCully, 

Aviation Safety Engineer, FAA, 

International Validation Branch, FAA, 

1600 Stewart Ave., Suite 410, Westbury, 

NY 11590; phone (404) 474–5548; email 

william.mccully@faa.gov. Any 

commentary that the FAA receives 

which is not specifically designated as 

CBI will be placed in the public docket 

for this rulemaking. 

Background 

EASA, which is the Technical Agent 

for the Member States of the European 

Union, has issued EASA AD 2022–0072, 

dated April 26, 2022 (EASA AD 2022– 

0072), to correct an unsafe condition on 

Airbus Helicopters Model EC 225 LP 

helicopters, serial numbers 2650, 2651, 

2653, 2684, 2712, and 2796. 

This AD was prompted by a report 

that placards located on the RH side of 

the VIP flap door of the passenger cabin 

do not provide adequate door opening 

instructions necessary to operate the RH 

side VIP flap door in case of the 

helicopter ditching. The unsafe 

condition, if not addressed, could 

prevent jettisoning of the RH side VIP 

flap door during an emergency 

situation, possibly obstructing 

evacuation and resulting in injury to 

occupants. 

You may examine the EASA AD in 

the AD docket at regulations.gov under 

Docket No. FAA–2024–0039. 

Related Service Information Under 1 

CFR Part 51 

EASA AD 2022–0072 requires 

installing a placard over the current 

placard, which correctly specifies 


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Federal Register / Vol. 89, No. 32 / Thursday, February 15, 2024 / Rules and Regulations 11719 

jettisoning instructions for the RH side 

of the VIP flap door. 

This material is reasonably available 

because the interested parties have 

access to it through their normal course 

of business or by the means identified 

in ADDRESSES. 

Other Related Service Information 

The FAA reviewed Airbus Helicopters 

Alert Service Bulletin (ASB) No. EC225– 

52A023, Revision 0, dated January 22, 

2020 for Model EC225LP helicopters. 

This service information specifies 

instructions for covering the existing 

incorrect placard with a correct placard, 

and reporting certain information to the 

manufacturer. 

FAA’s Determination 

These helicopters have been approved 

by EASA and are approved for operation 

in the United States. Pursuant to the 

FAA’s bilateral agreement with the 

European Union, EASA has notified the 

FAA about the unsafe condition 

described in its AD. The FAA is issuing 

this AD after evaluating all known 

relevant information and determining 

that the unsafe condition described 

previously is likely to exist or develop 

on other helicopters of the same type 

design. 

AD Requirements 

This AD requires accomplishing the 

actions specified in EASA AD 2022– 

0072, described previously, as 

incorporated by reference, except for 

any differences identified as exceptions 

in the regulatory text of this AD and 

except as discussed under ‘‘Differences 

Between this AD and the EASA AD.’’ 

Explanation of Required Compliance 

Information 

In the FAA’s ongoing efforts to 

improve the efficiency of the AD 

process, the FAA developed a process to 

use some civil aviation authority (CAA) 

ADs as the primary source of 

information for compliance with 

requirements for corresponding FAA 

ADs. The FAA has been coordinating 

this process with manufacturers and 

CAAs. As a result, EASA AD 2022–0072 

will be incorporated by reference in this 

FAA final rule. This AD would, 

therefore, require compliance with 

EASA AD 2022–0072 in its entirety 

through that incorporation, except for 

any differences identified as exceptions 

in the regulatory text of this AD. Using 

common terms that are the same as the 

heading of a particular section in EASA 

AD 2022–0072 does not mean that 

operators need comply only with that 

section. For example, where the AD 

requirement refers to ‘‘all required 

actions and compliance times,’’ 

compliance with this AD requirement is 

not limited to the section titled 

‘‘Required Action(s) and Compliance 

Time(s)’’ in EASA AD 2022–0072. 

Service information referenced in EASA 

AD 2022–0072 for compliance will be 

available at regulations.gov under 

Docket No. FAA–2024–0039. 

Differences Between This AD and the 

EASA AD 

Service information referenced in 

EASA AD 2022–0072 specified 

reporting certain information to Airbus 

Helicopters, including sending pictures, 

whereas this AD does not require 

reporting any information or sending 

any pictures. 

Justification for Immediate Adoption 

and Determination of the Effective Date 

Section 553(b)(3)(B) of the 

Administrative Procedure Act (APA) (5 

U.S.C. 551 et seq.) authorizes agencies 

to dispense with notice and comment 

procedures for rules when the agency, 

for ‘‘good cause,’’ finds that those 

procedures are ‘‘impracticable, 

unnecessary, or contrary to the public 

interest.’’ Under this section, an agency, 

upon finding good cause, may issue a 

final rule without providing notice and 

seeking comment prior to issuance. 

Further, section 553(d) of the APA 

authorizes agencies to make rules 

effective in less than thirty days, upon 

a finding of good cause. 

There are currently no domestic 

operators of these products. 

Accordingly, notice and opportunity for 

prior public comment are unnecessary, 

pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 553(b)(3)(B). In 

addition, for the foregoing reasons, the 

FAA finds that good cause exists 

pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 553(d) for making 

this amendment effective in less than 30 

days. 

Regulatory Flexibility Act 

The requirements of the Regulatory 

Flexibility Act (RFA) do not apply when 

an agency finds good cause pursuant to 

5 U.S.C. 553 to adopt a rule without 

prior notice and comment. Because the 

FAA has determined that it has good 

cause to adopt this rule without prior 

notice and comment, RFA analysis is 

not required. 

Costs of Compliance 

There are no costs of compliance with 

this AD because there are no helicopters 

with this type certificate on the U.S. 

Registry. 

Authority for This Rulemaking 

Title 49 of the United States Code 

specifies the FAA’s authority to issue 

rules on aviation safety. Subtitle I, 

section 106, describes the authority of 

the FAA Administrator. Subtitle VII: 

Aviation Programs describes in more 

detail the scope of the Agency’s 

authority. 

The FAA is issuing this rulemaking 

under the authority described in 

Subtitle VII, Part A, Subpart III, Section 

44701: General requirements. Under 

that section, Congress charges the FAA 

with promoting safe flight of civil 

aircraft in air commerce by prescribing 

regulations for practices, methods, and 

procedures the Administrator finds 

necessary for safety in air commerce. 

This regulation is within the scope of 

that authority because it addresses an 

unsafe condition that is likely to exist or 

develop on products identified in this 

rulemaking action. 

Regulatory Findings 

This AD will not have federalism 

implications under Executive Order 

13132. This AD will not have a 

substantial direct effect on the States, on 

the relationship between the national 

government and the States, or on the 

distribution of power and 

responsibilities among the various 

levels of government. 

For the reasons discussed above, I 

certify that this AD: 

(1) Is not a ‘‘significant regulatory 

action’’ under Executive Order 12866, 

and 

(2) Will not affect intrastate aviation 

in Alaska. 

List of Subjects in 14 CFR Part 39 

Air transportation, Aircraft, Aviation 

safety, Incorporation by reference, 

Safety. 

The Amendment 

Accordingly, under the authority 

delegated to me by the Administrator, 

the FAA amends 14 CFR part 39 as 

follows: 

PART 39—AIRWORTHINESS 

DIRECTIVES 

■ 1. The authority citation for part 39 

continues to read as follows: 

Authority: 49 U.S.C. 106(g), 40113, 44701. 

§ 39.13 [Amended] 

■ 2. The FAA amends § 39.13 by adding 

the following new airworthiness 

directive: 

2024–02–01 Airbus Helicopters:

Amendment 39–22665; Docket No. 

FAA–2024–0039; Project Identifier 

MCAI–2023–00966–R. 

(a) Effective Date 

This airworthiness directive (AD) is 

effective March 1, 2024. 


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11720 Federal Register / Vol. 89, No. 32 / Thursday, February 15, 2024 / Rules and Regulations 

(b) Affected ADs 

None. 

(c) Applicability 

This AD applies to Airbus Helicopters 

Model EC225LP helicopters, serial numbers 

2650, 2651, 2653, 2684, 2712, and 2796, 

certificated in any category. 

(d) Subject 

Joint Aircraft System Component (JASC) 

Code: 5210, Passenger crew doors. 

(e) Unsafe Condition 

This AD was prompted by a report of 

incorrect door opening instructions on the 

placard located on the right-hand (RH) side 

of the VIP flap door. The FAA is issuing this 

AD to address and correct placards on the RH 

side VIP flap door. The unsafe condition, if 

not addressed, could prevent jettisoning of 

the RH side VIP flap door during an 

emergency situation, possibly obstructing 

evacuation and resulting in injury to 

occupants. 

(f) Compliance 

Comply with this AD within the 

compliance times specified, unless already 

done. 

(g) Required Actions 

Except as specified in paragraphs (h) and 

(i) of this AD: Comply with all required 

actions and compliance times specified in, 

and in accordance with, European Union 

Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) AD 2022– 

0072, dated April 26, 2022 (EASA AD 2022– 

0072). 

(h) Exceptions to EASA AD 2022–0072 

(1) Where EASA AD 2022–0072 refers to its 

effective date, this AD requires using the 

effective date of this AD. 

(2) Where EASA AD 2022–0072 refers to 

flight hours, this AD requires using hours 

time-in-service. 

(3) Where the paragraph defined as placard 

installation in EASA AD 2022–0072 states 

‘‘in accordance with the instructions of the 

ASB,’’ for this AD, replace that text with ‘‘in 

accordance with the Accomplishment 

Instructions, paragraph 3.B of the ASB.’’ 

(i) No Reporting Requirement 

Although the service information 

referenced in EASA AD 2022–0072 specifies 

to submit certain information to the 

manufacturer, this AD does not include that 

requirement. 

(j) Alternative Methods of Compliance 

(AMOCs) 

The Manager, International Validation 

Branch, FAA, has the authority to approve 

AMOCs for this AD, if requested using the 

procedures found in § 39.19. In accordance 

with § 39.19, send your request to your 

principal inspector or local Flight Standards 

District Office, as appropriate. If sending 

information directly to the manager of the 

International Validation Branch, send it to 

the attention of the person identified in 

paragraph (k) of this AD. Information may be 

emailed to: 9-AVS-AIR-730-AMOC@faa.gov. 

(1) Before using any approved AMOC, 

notify your appropriate principal inspector, 

or lacking a principal inspector, the manager 

of the local flight standards district office/ 

certificate holding district office. 

(k) Related Information 

For more information about this AD, 

contact William McCully, Aviation Safety 

Engineer, FAA, International Validation 

Branch, FAA, 1600 Stewart Ave., Suite 410, 

Westbury, NY 11590; phone (404) 474–5548; 

email william.mccully@faa.gov. 

(l) Material Incorporated by Reference 

(1) The Director of the Federal Register 

approved the incorporation by reference of 

the service information listed in this 

paragraph under 5 U.S.C. 552(a) and 1 CFR 

part 51. 

(2) You must use this service information 

as applicable to do the actions required by 

this AD, unless the AD specifies otherwise. 

(i) European Union Aviation Safety Agency 

(EASA) AD 2022–0072, dated April 26, 2022. 

(ii) [Reserved] 

(3) For EASA AD 2022–0072, contact 

EASA, Konrad-Adenauer-Ufer 3, 50668 

Cologne, Germany; telephone +49 221 8999 

000; email ADs@easa.europa.eu; internet 

easa.europa.eu. You may find the EASA 

material on the EASA website at 

ad.easa.europa.eu. 

(4) You may view this service information 

at the FAA, Office of the Regional Counsel, 

Southwest Region, 10101 Hillwood Pkwy., 

Room 6N–321, Fort Worth, TX 76177. For 

information on the availability of this 

material at the FAA, call (817) 222–5110. 

(5) You may view this material at the 

National Archives and Records 

Administration (NARA). For information on 

the availability of this material at NARA, 

visit www.archives.gov/federal-register/cfr/ 

ibr-locations or email fr.inspection@nara.gov. 

Issued on January 24, 2024. 

Victor Wicklund, 

Deputy Director, Compliance & Airworthiness 

Division, Aircraft Certification Service. 

[FR Doc. 2024–03137 Filed 2–14–24; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4910–13–P 

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION 

Federal Aviation Administration 

14 CFR Part 39 

[Docket No. FAA–2023–2136; Project 

Identifier MCAI–2023–00759–T; Amendment 

39–22659; AD 2024–01–08] 

RIN 2120–AA64 

Airworthiness Directives; Airbus SAS 

Airplanes 

AGENCY: Federal Aviation 

Administration (FAA), DOT. 

ACTION: Final rule. 

SUMMARY: The FAA is superseding 

Airworthiness Directive (AD) 2019–16– 

11, which applied to certain Airbus SAS 

Model A300 F4–605R and FR–622R 

airplanes. AD 2019–16–11 required 

repetitive high frequency eddy current 

(HFEC) inspections of the aft lower deck 

cargo door (LDCD) frame forks; a onetime check of the LDCD clearances; a 

one-time detailed visual inspection of 

hooks, eccentric bushes, and x-stops; 

and corrective actions if necessary. This 

AD was prompted by a determination 

that the threshold for the (repetitive) 

HFEC inspection needs to be corrected, 

and the LDCD frame forks modified. 

This AD continues to require the actions 

in AD 2019–16–11, requires correcting 

the HFEC inspection threshold and 

modifying the LDCD frame forks, and 

prohibits the installation of affected 

LDCDs under certain conditions; as 

specified in a European Union Aviation 

Safety Agency (EASA) AD, which is 

incorporated by reference. The FAA is 

issuing this AD to address the unsafe 

condition on these products. 

DATES: This AD is effective March 21, 

2024. 

The Director of the Federal Register 

approved the incorporation by reference 

of a certain publication listed in this AD 

as of March 21, 2024. 

ADDRESSES: 

AD Docket: You may examine the AD 

docket at regulations.gov under Docket 

No. FAA–2023–2136; or in person at 

Docket Operations between 9 a.m. and 

5 p.m., Monday through Friday, except 

Federal holidays. The AD docket 

contains this final rule, the mandatory 

continuing airworthiness information 

(MCAI), any comments received, and 

other information. The address for 

Docket Operations is U.S. Department of 

Transportation, Docket Operations, M– 

30, West Building Ground Floor, Room 

W12–140, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE, 

Washington, DC 20590. 

Material Incorporated by Reference: 

• For EASA material identified in this 

final rule, contact EASA, KonradAdenauer-Ufer 3, 50668 Cologne, 

Germany; telephone +49 221 8999 000; 

email ADs@easa.europa.eu; website 

easa.europa.eu. You may find this 

material on the EASA website 

ad.easa.europa.eu. 

• You may view this material at the 

FAA, Airworthiness Products Section, 

Operational Safety Branch, 2200 South 

216th Street, Des Moines, WA. For 

information on the availability of this 

material at the FAA, call 206–231–3195. 

It is also available in the AD docket at 

regulations.gov under Docket No. FAA– 

2023–2136. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dan 

Rodina, Aviation Safety Engineer, FAA, 

1600 Stewart Avenue, Suite 410, 

Westbury, NY 11590; telephone 206– 

231–3225; email dan.rodina@faa.gov. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 


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